Moldovan NGOs Complain Of Official Harassment

Three Moldovan nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) say they are facing increasing harassment from the government, RFE/RL's Moldovan Service reports.

IDIS Vitorul, the Institute for Public Policy, and the Association for Participative Democracy issued an open letter on April 27 saying that because of their criticism of the way the police handled the recent election protests, they found themselves victims of a government intimidation campaign.

Three people died and hundreds were injured during mass demonstrations in early April against the ruling Communists' election victory.

According to the letter, the Justice Ministry asked the NGOs to declare their positions on the protests, a move they denounced as a "call to statements of loyalty."

The government is also requiring financial disclosures from the opposition Liberal Party, which won 15 seats in the 101-seat parliament.

Opposition leaders told RFE/RL that disclosures are required every three years, but this is the second check on them this year.